Health Care

Air ambulance launches service in Coeur d'Alene

Life Flight to employ 14 people at Boyington Field

June 5, 2014

Aurora, Ore.-based Life Flight Network plans to base a helicopter ambulance service in Coeur d'Alene beginning later this month. Life Flight, which claims to be the largest nonprofit medical flight program in the U.S., provides critical care transporta

Combating county's high maternal smoking rate

Low income, other stressors contribute to gap, officials say

June 5, 2014

Judith Spitzer

Despite the well-known dangers of smoking cigarettes during pregnancy, the percentage of expectant women who smoked in Spokane County is almost twice the rate of pregnant smokers in Washington state as a whole, say Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD)

PAML set to roll out consumer product line

Also, company-managed network lands new client

May 22, 2014

Katie Ross

Spokane-based Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories LLC is developing a new consumer-based testing product line, known as Cinch, says CEO Dr. Francisco VelÃ¡zquez. Cinch, VelÃ¡zquez says, will allow customers to order laboratory tests from hom

Sacred Heart Medical Center nets big savings with lighting upgrade

Nearly 10,000 bulbs have been replaced in project

May 8, 2014

Lucas Thayer

Sacred Heart Medical Center has completed a major phase of a lighting upgrade project at its campus just south of downtown Spokane, replacing nearly 10,000 32-watt fluorescent bulbs with 25-watt bulbs and more energy-efficient fixtures, as well as install

Kreidler looks to bolster data on medical networks

OIC passes rule designed to benefit health plan users

May 8, 2014

Staff Report

A new rule meant to give consumers more information about health insurers' provider networks has been published by Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. The new regulation applies to all state-regulated health plans offered both ins

Holy Family's updated baby center ready to deliver

Expanded LDRP facility garners positive feedback

May 8, 2014

Kim Crompton

Providence Holy Family Hospital's newly remodeled and expanded Family Maternity Center is drawing positive feedback from patients and staff, and is well positioned to handle anticipated growth in demand for its 'LDRPâ€ model, which enables women to e

Illegal tobacco sales high in state for second year

Report says 15 percent of retailers sold to minors

May 8, 2014

Staff Report

The number of retailers in Washington illegally selling tobacco to minors is high for the second year in a row. An annual report that tracks illegal sales shows about 15 percent of tobacco retailers sold tobacco to minors in 2013, which is about the same

SFD converts to digital patient records system

City says it expects switch to result in improved care

May 8, 2014

Staff Report

In a step that the city of Spokane believes will make Spokane safer, the Spokane Fire Department has switched a digital patient records system. The Patient Care Reporting (ePCR) system, it says, allows for electronic collection of patient information a

Incyte Pathology acquires Yakima laboratory

Lab here adds four hospitals to client list with purchase

May 8, 2014

Katie Ross

Spokane Valley laboratory Incyte Diagnostics, which operates under the entity Incyte Pathology PS, has acquired Yakima, Wash.-based pathology group Medical Center Laboratory (MCL). Kim Hagerty, spokeswoman for Incyte, says the acquisition closed on May

North Idaho rehabilitation hospital uses 24/7 approach

Joint venture facility has seen about 125 patients

May 8, 2014

Katie Ross

Rehabilitation Hospital of the Northwest, a freestanding, acute-rehabilitation facility in Post Falls, is offering Kootenai County's only inpatient treatment for rehabilitating patients, something it says residents previously had to travel longer for.